Dancing Through Life
by Alice W. Hale
Summary: A new one I’m working on where Alice and Jasper are human. About how they’d have met and fallen in love no matter when and where they lived or what they were. Alice is a dancer at the ballet; when Jasper finds her, he knows that she's the one for him.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N A new one I'm working on where Alice and Jasper are human. About how they'd have met and fallen in love no matter when and where they lived or what they were. Reviews feed my imagination so please let me know what you think!_

"Dancing Through Life"

Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Not mine, Stephenie's blah, blah, blah!

Jasper sat in the plush chair with his knees crossed, staring at the heavy, red curtain on the stage in front of them. The ballet wasn't exactly the first place he wanted to be seen, but he didn't want to disappoint her again. He had an uncanny ability to sense how someone felt, so he found it difficult to hurt anyone's feelings, even if, well, even if that someone was Maria.

They had been dating for quite some time and he knew how she felt about him. The only trouble was that he couldn't reciprocate those feelings anymore. They were too different, he and Maria. She had vindictive tendencies and that bothered him. He had plenty of reasons to leave her but none that she would easily accept, so, here he sat, at the ballet. Her uncle had given her third row tickets for her birthday; dance was one of the few things that she actually liked in life.

The curtains drew back and distracted Jasper from his musings. The first dance began; the stage was set up with trees and twinkling lights, like fireflies in a forest. Children began to creep out from behind the trees, darting from one to another; they played hide and seek while they danced. He glanced at Maria, she seemed to be enjoying the show so far.

Once the children all found each other, they began motioning off stage for another to join them and, finally, a pixie-like being floated across the stage to meet them. She was a grown woman but barely larger than the children. Her dark hair was cut short and stuck out at all angles from her head. It floated up as she spun and leaped gracefully across the stage. Jasper was mesmerized. She was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

***

The hot lights on the stage were shining down on Alice as she entered the stage. She was the prima ballerina of the act and she could feel all eyes on her. They were burning as much as the lights, but in a good kind of way. She thrived on being the center of attention, though she knew when to control herself.

Between the twirling and leaping, a handsome face in the audience caught her eye. It was rare that Alice saw anything from the stage, given the bright lights, but he could not be missed. If she had ever been within a fifty mile radius of this man, she would have noticed him.

Throughout the rest of the performance, she watched him. He became her "spot" when she spun rather than the "exit" light on the back wall that she typically used. The whole time, he was watching her intently.

***

Jasper finally did it. He had finally told Maria that she couldn't do it anymore, that he couldn't be with her. As he lay in bed alone that night, he thought of what he'd done.

_After the ballet was over, Maria and I left the theater. She wanted to get coffee so I took her to the Starbucks around the corner. I ordered her a café latte without asking what she wanted and she smiled when I handed it to her. I didn't order anything for myself and I was very quiet on the drive back to her apartment._

"_Wanna come in," she asked me. I knew what she wanted. It was what she always wanted._

"_I, well, Maria… No, I can't come in," I felt awful for what I was about to do. "Maria, I don't think I can come in again. Ever."_

_Her mouth had fallen open; she was speechless, which was rare. I could tell that her emotions were beginning to boil inside of her as I continued to talk._

"_I'm sorry. I just can't stay with you. I didn't know why until tonight but I just don't feel the same way I used to. I'm sorry, but I don't love you anymore." There. I'd said it. Every horrible word of it._

_A small growl came from her throat and she threw her latte at me. It was hot still and would probably ruin my jacket. I didn't react, though I felt very sad. I didn't say anything else but simply turned and walked back to my car. I heard her slam the door, but I didn't look back._

'It's for the best,' he thought to himself after playing the scene over and over in his mind. He knew why he wasn't happy with her anymore; besides the fact that she was far too volatile for him, he was in love with someone else. He just hadn't known it until he'd seen her. It was crazy, even to him, but he was in love with the dancing girl with inky hair.


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N So sorry it's taken so long to post this. I started school back, joined a sorority, got a cold, had relatives visit, etc. Plus, I really though I posted it already! Thanks to my three reviewers. Please continue reading and reviewing- reviews feed my imagination! It's a little short but I hope you enjoy Chapter 2!_

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Dancing Through Life

Chapter 2

After the performance, Alice danced through the dressing room, far too excited about the gorgeous man in the audience to be tired from the workout. She scowled for a moment as she remembered a woman in the chair next to him. 'Maybe they weren't together,' she thought.

"Hey girl!" a voice called from the doorway. A slight figure who looked very similar to Alice, though her hair was blonde, was holding out a bouquet of lilies. Anyone could have guessed that they were sisters.

"Hey Cynthia!" Alice ran to her and they hugged.

"You were _fabulous!_" she squealed, jumping up and down. "I'm _so_ taking you to dinner to celebrate!"

***

While Alice didn't usually gush about men, she couldn't help telling her sister about the one she'd spotted. Cynthia could be very persuasive. Then again, it could have had something to do with the wine she's had with dinner…

"Did you talk to him? What's his name?" Cynthia insisted.

"No clue, I told you I just saw him while I was dancing. I probably won't ever see him again anyways," she sounded sad as she spoke. The conversation changed, drifting to Cynthia and her latest male victim, but the handsome stranger never left Alice's mind completely.

***

About a week later, Alice was practicing at the theater. She kept falling short on her jumps; she hadn't been able to focus lately. Eleanor, her trainer, was not happy with her and demanded that she practice extra hours apart from the other dancers.

It was lunchtime and Alice was resting with her feet dangling over the edge of the stage. She was eating a turkey sandwich and drinking a bottle of water. Just as she was about to stuff the last bite of the sandwich into her dainty mouth, the door at the back of the theater squeaked open and there he was.

It was the beautiful man from the performance last Friday night and he was carrying pink roses. "Hello, miss," he said once he was close enough to her not to shout. His accent was slightly Southern, which was an uncommon thing to hear in New York City.

"Hi," she replied, feeling slightly stupid for not thinking of anything cleverer to say in response.

"I saw you last Friday and, well, I wanted to show my appreciation somehow. You were wonderful." He seemed embarrassed but was pleased to see that she didn't seem to think him a stalker.

"I remember you," Alice had accepted the flowers and he was now sitting on the stage next to her. "You sat right there" she pointed to the third row "with a brunette woman at your side."

"Hum, yes," she was more observant than he'd expected. "We're not together… anymore," he added quietly, almost to himself. "I'm Jasper, by the way."

She grinned, "Alice," she introduced herself.

"Well, I guess I should let you get back to whatever you were doing." His awkwardness seemed to get the better of him. He began to get up.

"You could stay. And watch," Alice looked hopeful and he couldn't help but agree.

Jasper took a seat on the front row and watched the beautiful pixie dance across the stage, his own personal show.

***

Alice was on the phone with Cynthia while she soaked in a bubble bath that evening. Her blood red toenails poked out of the bubbles at the end of the huge tub. "He stayed for two hours, just watching me." She paused while her sister responded. "Finally, when I finished practicing, he asked me to dinner. So… I said yes!" She giggled sounding quite giddy, even to herself. "No, he wouldn't tell me. It's a surprise!" Another pause. "No, that's all he said! We'll he told me to dress up so I guess he's taking me somewhere nice, but other than that, that's all!" Cynthia babbled some more. "Okay, well I gotta go get gorgeous. I'll call you tomorrow!" Alice had a feeling that tonight would be the best night of her life.


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N This chapter makes me happy! :D I'm pretty pleased with the way the story's turning out so far, so please review and let me know what you think! I have 8 reviews now- I want 15 before I post chapter 4! Enjoy!!

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Dancing Through Life

Chapter 3

Seven o'clock arrived very quickly, but Alice was ready. She was fluffing her hair a little while she waited for Jasper to arrive, and she did look good, if she may say so herself. She was wearing a gray silk mini-dress with ruffles around the collar; her makeup was understated and she wore little jewelry but she knew that she'd catch his eye. She peeked out the curtains by the door and saw his car pulling up. It was an old Mustang that was in perfectly restored condition. Alice squealed quietly to herself.

There was a soft knock at the door and Alice opened it immediately. "Good evening, ma'am," he said, extending a small bouquet of white lilac to her. Again, Alice was stunned for words. She smiled sweetly as she accepted the flowers.

"Let me put these in something and I'll be ready to go," she dashed into the kitchen as he lingered in the doorway, taking a moment to think him over before returning. He looked wonderful. He was wearing a maroon button up shirt and khakis. His honey colored hair was perfectly mussed, his smile looked genuine, and his eyes were kind.

"So, what mysterious location are you taking me to?" Alice asked once in the car.

"I was thinking Italian. That is, unless you prefer something else?" he paused, glancing at his date. Seeing no objection, he continued. "I got us reservations at this great little place near the park. It's small and not many tourists go there so it's probably fairly quite."

"Sounds perfect. Italian's one of my favorites!"

***

Upon arriving at the restaurant, they were seated promptly and offered a bottle of wine. The waiter glanced twice at Alice before walking away though she didn't notice. After looking over the menus and deciding what to order, they began to chat.

"You look lovely tonight, Alice." Jasper said. The room was dim and small, just as he had predicted. The candlelight made his hair glisten. "This is the first time I've seen you without a dance costume on," he grinned.

She laughed, ignoring his last remark, "Thanks. You look pretty good yourself. Tell me a little about yourself. You know more about me than I know about you."

"Well, I'm a stock broker. I moved to the city because I got a job at an investment firm on Wall Street. I'm originally from Houston, but it went to school at Cornell, so I've been in New York for several years. What about you? Have you danced your whole life?"

"Since before I could walk," she answered with another cute grin. "My parents enrolled me in dance lessons when I was a toddler and I've been dancing ever since. I'm from Brooklyn, but moved to my apartment in Manhattan when I started working at the Lincoln Center three years ago. I've been dancing for about twenty two years." He could tell from the way she spoke of dance that it was her true passion; could he compete?

When their food arrived, the conversation slowed as they each enjoyed their dishes. Jasper had ordered a steak and Alice had chosen a chicken pasta dish. The waiter glanced at Jasper for an extra moment this time.

"I must ask," Alice began after their plates had been removed. Jasper nodded once, indicating she should continue. "Do you often invite women you barely know to dine with you at delicious places like this?"

He chuckled. "Actually, no." He paused. "The woman with me at the ballet? Well, we _were_ together. We'd been having some problems, so I ended it with her. She's the only other woman I've really been out with since I moved to the city." He looked a little sheepish. Alice had trouble believing that it was because he couldn't find a date. "Something about you, Alice…" he said very softly.

"I know what you mean about dates. I'm practically married to dance and can't remember the last time I went out with anyone other than my sister. You know, I actually saw you in the audience that night. I never see faces, just filled or empty seats and bright lights."

He reached across the table and placed his hand on hers. "I'm very glad we did this," he smiled sweetly again.

A brief moment of doubt flashed through Alice's mind, but she shoved it aside. She trusted Jasper. "Would you like to get dessert to go? We could go back to my place."

***

As they rode back to Alice's apartment, she pondered the night so far. Dinner was superb and Jasper was a complete gentleman. She'd learned he had a twin sister, had a minor in philosophy, and enjoyed traveling. He was interesting; smart; funny; a little quite, maybe even mysterious; and, in Alice's opinion, very sexy. She'd never invited a guy back to her place on a first date, but she was completely comfortable with him. It was as if they'd know each other their whole lives but were just now realizing it.

"Sorry the place is a little bit of a mess," Alice said when they went inside. She attempted to inconspicuously hide a bra hanging on the doorknob to dry before Jasper could see it. "I've been rehearsing extra hours all week long and haven't had much time to straighten up." They walked into the kitchen and Alice sat the to go box on the counter.

"Why the extra hours?" Jasper asked as he opened a cabinet looking for a plate for their dessert.

Alice laughed. "Let's just say a terribly handsome man has me distracted."

"Oh, really?" he played along, "Terribly handsome?"

"Mmhum," Alice confirmed. She took a step towards him and opened the correct door to find a plate, her eyes never leaving his.

"I must confess," he said seriously. "I made a bad stock trade yesterday because I was thinking of a very beautiful pixie rather than my work."

"A beautiful pixie?" Her voice was somewhat teasing. They were standing so closely that she could feel his breath on her.

"Very," he confirmed before leaning down to kiss her. It was a gentle kiss. His full lips parted hers softly, but he didn't force himself onto her. One hand went to her cheek and the other to the small of her back. It was the perfect first kiss. He could feel the emotions rolling off her like waves, and he was feeling the exact same things; it was wonderful.

"Would you think I was crazy if I told you that I think I'm in love with you?" he said quietly after the kiss ended.

"Yes," she answered looking up at him, "but I think I could say the same thing." They kissed again. Yes, it was definitely the best night of her life.


	4. Chapter 3 and a Half

Chapter 3 ½ (because I'm not quite ready for Chapter 4 yet.)

_"Our onscreen chemistry is like Bogart— smoking." Jackson Rathbone, on Ashley Greene_

Jasper Whitlock was the only true gentleman that Alice had ever met. It must have been the Southern roots coming out. When they'd gotten back to her apartment that evening, they'd shared two passionate kisses, but nothing more.

Alice was sort of happy that he hadn't tried to go farther with her physically. The last guy she'd gone out with tried to sleep with her on their second date and that was the last she'd seen of him. Jasper was different. Their relationship was different; she could already tell. Granted their relationship continued as it was going, they would go further and probably soon, but Alice could never forgive herself if she'd had sex on the first date. And Cynthia would never let her live it down, either.

And so the night continued. After kissing her twice and practically making Alice melt, Jasper pulled back to look at her. He smiled and gave her one more tiny kiss on the lips before returning to their dessert. Tiramisu was one of this favorites and he wasn't about to let it go to waste.

They'd gone back to her living room and shared it from a single plate with two forks. Alice had flipped on the television and they sat in comfortable silence watching _Casablanca_, one of her favorite movies. Jasper maneuvered her small body so that she was sitting in his lap, leaning against his chest.

"'Well, I was wondering,'" Jasper quoted in Alice's ear, "'Yes?' 'Why I'm so lucky. Why I should find you waiting for me to come along.'" Alice couldn't help but smile. While Humphrey Bogart was quite a charmer, somehow the lines sounded all the more sexy when Jasper said them.

***

The next few months flew past and Alice and Jasper's love grew. Jasper spent every waking moment with Alice that he wasn't working. Alice's distraction changed to more of an inspiration and her dancing improved greatly. Jasper took Alice on a tour of Wall Street and Alice took Jasper to her home in Brooklyn. They spent their nights dancing in clubs, dining out, going to shows on Broadway, or simply at home on the couch together. It didn't really matter to either of them what they did as long as they did it together. Their physical relationship progressed, also, and Jasper was the perfect gentleman at that, too. He made Alice blissfully happy and she couldn't remember what life had been like without him.

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I decided I needed an intermittent chapter before Chapter 4. Besides, I'm experiencing a huge case of writer's block on the next one. PM me if you'd like to help me throw around ideas- I know what I want to happen, I just can't figure out how to get the story there!

**Please let me know what you think! **I'm still hoping for 15 reviews before I post Chapter 4! Come on! Only 4 more! Please?


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